Thread remover for weft replenishing looms



1951 B. w. BROUWER ETAL 2,564,149

THREAD REMOVER FOR WEFT REPLENISHING LOQMS Filed March 8, 1950 2Sheets-Sheet l FIGLI -INVENTORS. BENJAMIN W. BROUWER JOHN T. KENNEDYATTORNEY g" 14, 1951 B. w. BROUWER ETAL 2,564,149

THREAD REMOVER FOR WEFT REPLENISHING LOOMS Filed March 8 1950 2Sheets-Sheet 2 BENJAMIN W. BROUWER JOHN T. KENNEDY ATTORNEY.

a'nal non-pick-up position in full lines and in thread pick-up positionin dotted lines,

Fig. 4 is a front elevation looking in the direction of arrow 4, Fig. 3,showing the parts in normal position,

Figs. 5 and 6 are detailed enlarged longitudinal sections on lines 55and 66, respectively, Fig.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged horizontal longitudinal section on line 1-1, Fig.4,

Fig. 8 is a detailed vertical section on line 8-8, Fig. 6,

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view showing the shuttle position detector indetecting position and indicating the manner in which the thread removermoves if a transfer is revoked,

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic side elevation showing the shuttle positionfeeler in down or detecting position and showing the thread remover inits thread pick-up position,

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic plan view showing the thread to be removedextending from the thread cutter near the shuttle eye to the cloth andacross the intake mouth of the remover, and

Fig. 12 is an enlarged detail cross section on vline l2l2, Fig. 4.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the loom frame I0 supports amagazine M of the multicolor type having a transferrer arm ll pivoted asat [2 and provided with a latch l3 normally in down position as shown inFig. 1 but raised preparatory to a weft replenishing operation when themagazine is set for transfer. Rockably mounted in the upper part of themagazine is a preventer shaft 15 to the rear end of which is operativelyattached a depending rod I6 connected to a shuttle position detector orfeeler l1 pivotally mounted as at [8 to the magazine frame at a pointabove and rearward of the lay L when the latter is on front center. Thefeeler l'l extends in a generally horizontal forward direction over thelay and has a downwardly and forwardly curved under surface or edge ISthe forward end of which is upturned as 'at 20. The forward end of thepreventer shaft I5 is connected to a second depending rod 2| operativelyconnected as at 22 to the latch IS.

The magazine is provided with bobbin delivery cradles the operating pinsof which are shown at 24 for cooperation with the lower ends of verticalslides or bobbin releasers 25. releasers have top and bottom lugs 26 and21, respectively, for engagement with a color slide mechanism 28. Thelatter shifts horizontally under control of means moving in timerelation with the shifting shuttle boXes at the opposite end of the loom(not shown herein) so that the color slide will register with thereleaser corresponding to the active shuttle.

An elongated arm or shelf to prevent transfer is secured to the shaft l5and will be under the dog 3| at the upper end of any releaser 25 whichmay be in raised position as a result of an upward motion of thereleaser by the color slide 28 while the preventer shaft remains innormal position. When the color slide rocks clockwise, Fig. 2, and is inregister with a previously raised releaser, the shelf 30 will be engagedby the dog corresponding to the raised releaser and as the latterdescends the shaft [5 will turn in a clockwise direction, Fig. 2, fromits normal position to its setting position, thereby causing downwardmovement of both of the rods l6 and 2|, one effect of which is to movethe shuttle feeler l1 downwardly to the position shown diagrammaticallyin Fig. 10 to shuttle feel- These ing position and another effect ofwhich is to lift the latch l3 into transfer position. This operationsets the magazine for transfer and occurs while the lay L is in aposition near back center. The descending releaser effects movement of areserve bobbin to the transfer position indicated at B, Fig. 1.

If the shuttle is properly placed to receive a bobbin from the magazinethe transfer will proceed in normal order and as the lay approaches itsfront center position the transferrer arm will effect bobbin transfer inshuttle S and the box back on the lay will engage the surface I9 andlift the shuttle feeler and thereby restore the shaft 15 to its normalposition and reset the magazine when the lay reaches front center. Theexpelled depleted bobbin B I Fig. 11, leaves behind it a filling threadT extending along the lay to the selvage of the cloth C. The resettingof the magazine and the exchange of bobbins in the shuttle is completedwhen the lay reaches front center.

The shuttle S has a thread delivery eye 36 to the left of which is athread cutting flat plate 37 mounted on the shuttle for cooperation witha cutter 38 mounted on a lever 39. The latter is pivoted on a stud 40and a spring 4| tends to move the cutter rearwardly for cooperation withthe plate 31 to cut the thread T.

An arm 42 on lever 39 extends to the left of the stud 45, Fig. 2, andcooperates with a lug 43 on the transferrer arm I I. This lug normallyholds the cutter 38 in forward position, but at the time of transfer thelug 43 moves forwardly, or to the right as viewed in Fig. l, and permitsspring Al to move the cutter 38 rearwardly against the plate 37 to cutthread T. The thread cutting mechanism is somewhat similar to thatheretofore used except that it is made in such manner as to insurecutting of the thread before the shuttle feeier is engaged by box back35. The cutting operation occurs after the magazine is set for transferand before bobbin transfer is completed.

Except as noted the matter thus far described is of common constructionand operates in the usual manner, the cutter however operating earlierthan has been customary heretofore.

In carrying the present invention into effect the magazine has securedthereto a support the rear end of which carries a spring cup 5|receiving the rear end of a compression spring 52. A stud 53 fixed tothe support 50 has pivotally mounted thereon a carrier 54 the upper partof which is provided with a spring cup 55 receiving the front end ofspring 52. A bolt 56 extends through the spring cups 5i and 55 and hasan adjusting screw 51 at the rear end thereof. Normally the spring isexpanded with the cup 55 in its right hand position as viewed in Fig. 1,this position being determined by engagement of the nut 51 with cup 51and the head of the bolt with cup 55. The spring permits rearward motionof the cup 55 and counter-clockwise movement of carrier 54 around stud53, Fig. 1.

A support rod 60 secured as at Bl to the carrier 54 depends from thelatter and has fastened to the lower end thereof a head or support 62 inwhich a tube 63 is secured by a set screw 64, see Figs. 6-8. The tube 63has the right end thereof closed and serves as a bearing for a removercarrier 65 pivotally mounted thereon. Tube 63 is provided with a flangeor shoulder 66 to position the carrier 65, and its left end, Fig. 7, isconnected to a hose 61 in which subatmosof the axis of tube 68- andthe-port 1 I.

The tube 68 is part of apneumatic remover designated generally herein atHand has a 'flat plate-1 2 secured thereto. This platehasan inclinededge 13- which-leads to an intake-mouth H at the end of tube 68remote-from carriage 65. A plate or member 15 also=fixed wi-th=respectthe-tube 68 hasa thread engaging or lifting surface'lfi extendingmo'reorless in the direction away from carrier-65 and'beyond'mouth'l l:I

The carrier 65 is provided-with anarm 77 pivoted as at 13 to an upwardlyextending rod designated generally at T9. "The upper end of rod 1 9 isconnected 'as at 3fi't-o an arm!!! secured to the preventer shaft r; ThelayL is provided with a transverse slot '82 tore'ceivethe plate of theremover R. This slot extendsbe'low the path of travel of the shuttle,and the thread T of the outgoing bobbin atth'e time of transfer willextend above the slot.

Under normal conditions the parts will be in the position shown in fulllines in Figsfl to 4, that is, with the remover in substantiallyvertical position so that a thread notch 83 defined between the edge 13and plate 1 5- op ns upwardly and leads downwardlyto the intake mouth14. Under these conditions the preventer shaft IE will be in its normalposition. I V

W n e m z n is set f r sf r the sh f IE will rock as already describedwhile the lay is in a position considerably rearward of ,front .cente'r,androd 79, will be raised and turn the head 65 counter-clockwise, Fig.3, to move tube .68 to a horizontal position, or to the pick-up positionindicated in dotted lines in Fig.3. This turning of head 65 will placethe plate 15 in register with the slot 82. When in this position theedge 13 ofplate 72 will extend upwardly to a position above and forwardof the adjacent part of surface IS on the shuttle feeler ll, asindicated in Fig. 10, the shuttle feeler being downas a result ofsetting of the magazine for transfer'and the notch 83 will openrearwardly, see Fig. 10.

When the remover moves to its pick-up position the air passage idregisters fully with the port H and air will move into the intake mouthT4 due to the subatmospheric pressures in hose 8? existing at this time,or shortly thereafter.

As the lay advances the plate it will enter the slot 82 and the surface16 will pass under the thread '1. The thread at this time willberearward of the plate 72 and below the surface 59- of the shuttle feelerll, and during continued forward motion of the lay the thread will enternotch 83 and be directed to the intake mouth 74. If, during the forwardmovement of'th'e lay, the thread should happen to be in high position itwill be deflected downwardly by surface l9 o'f'thc shuttle feeler andguided by it into the no't'ch -53.

As the transferrer arm descends the cutter .33 i

will sever the thread T into two parts one of which leads to the rightfrom the cutter, "Fig. to be drawn back through the shuttle eye 36 bythe outgoing depletedbobbinBl, see Fig. 11'. The

second-part of thread-T ultimately passes.

As the magazine is reset incident to upward movement of the shuttlefeeler l7 by box back 35 as the lay approaches" front center on itsforward stroke the preventer shaft l5- will be restored toits normalposition and in doing so will depress rod 18, thereby swinging theremover R from the dotted line position to the full line position shownin'Fig. 3' -to lift the thread T mechanically by a force exerted by theplate 15 and move the thread-forwardly as-well as upwardly. When theremover R assumes its upright or non-pick-up position notch 83 will openupwardly with the intake mouth at the upper end oftube Bli' and thethread will be acted upon by gravity to fall alongplate 1'5 and assume aposition near, or across; intake mouth 14 if the thread has not alreadyentered tube 68.

Occasionally the shuttle Will fail to be com pletely boxed on the beatduring which it is intended to be replenished, inwhich event it isnecessary toprevent or-revoke-trans-fer to avoid a faulty operation; Itisfor th-is reason that the shuttle feeler i1 is employed. If theshuttle should be widely misplaced as's'uggested in Fig. 9 so that itsfront advancing upper edge engages the under surface [9 of the f-eelerH- the preventer shaft l5 will be'rocked and-rodl-9 will'be depressed torestore'the remover Rto it's normal position earlier than usual. Inorder that'the remover may rise under these conditions withoutinterference with the shuttle it is' desirable that its rear endterminate at a point sufficiently in advance of themisplaced shuttle topermit it to swing upwardly and clear the shuttle as the lay continuesto move' forwardly,

If the shuttleshould not be as widely misplaced as suggested in Fig. 9'but be" only slightly misplaced; the shuttle feel'er will start up-alittle later in the forward beat of the lay; but the re-- mover willstill be forward of the tapered part of the shuttle registeringWithitand will clear such tapering part' when returning to normalposition.

It may happen that the plate l5 will lift the thread at the time ofrevocation-- of transfer, in which event the uncut thread will bewhipped against the plate when the shuttle is picked. In

order to enable the thread to clear the remover under suchconditions theedge 8 3 of the plate 15 toward the shuttle, the right edge as seen inFig. 4, is curved or inclined in a direction toward the cloth so thateven though the thread should enter notch 83 it will slide up along thethread clearing edge 84 and free itself asthe shuttle is picked.

Inorder to make provision for possible interference between the shuttleand remover at the 96 resting on top of the lower head. Similarly, theupper part 9| of rod 19 extends downwardly through top head 81 and has acollar 92 secured to it under head 81. A compression spring 93 between.the collars normally keeps the rod parts 89 and 9| spaced to give rod 19its full or greatest length. The spring will compress to permit downmotion of rod part SI when the magazine is reset without necessarilyrequiring lifting of the remover R, to its normal position if theshuttle by any circumstance should extend over the rear part of theremover. As soon as the lay moves rearwardly far enough to free theremover from the shuttle the spring 93 will expand and return theremover to its normal idle or non-pick-up position. In this connectionit may be noted that if the shuttle should happen to exert a forwardthrust on the remover when the latter is in its pick-up position thespring 52 will yield to permit the remover assembly to move forwardly.Rod 19 acts positively when being raised to set the remover foroperation, but acts yieldingly when being depressed to return theremover to normal position.

By referring to Figs. 1 and 3 it will be seen that the axis around whichthe remover R turns is close to the front center position of the lay,and approximately in horizontal alignment with the top of the race plate94 of the lay along which the shuttle travels. This relationshipfacilitates movement of the thread by the remover when the latterreturns to its normal position and enables the thread to be lifted aminimum distance when being moved forwardly by the plate 15.

Fig. 11 illustrates diagrammatically the advantage of having the tube 68flattened throughout the greater part of its length. At the instant ofcutting or shortly thereafter the thread T will extend across the intakemouth '14. If the thread should be of the kind which is fortified with asizing it may be sufiiciently stiff to resist ready bending underpneumatic attraction resulting from subatmospheric pressures existing intube 68 and exerted in the direction of arrow at, Fig. 11. By having thetube 63 flattened on its top and bottom as indicated in Fig. 12 aconsiderable width of the mouth 14 is attained lengthwise of the threadwithout a corresponding height. The wide mouth permits ready entrance ofa large curve or bend in the thread, as indicated at b. The tube 68 ispreferably of the same cross section as the mouth for the greater partof its length extending from the mouth to the carrier 65, resulting in auniform flow of air within the tube, the volume of air however beingkept to a minimum for efficient operation due to the shape of the tube.

In order that the thread extending from tube 68 into tube 63 may beunder some penumatic action when the remover R is reset to its normalposition the air passage and port H will be as shown in Fig. 6, that is,the port is not completely closed but allows a slight leakage of airthrough tube 68.

It is preferable that subatmospheric pressures exist within the tube 63prior to and at the time the thread is cut by the cutter 38, and for atleast a short interval thereafter. This result may be accomplishedeither by using a continuous vacuum system, or one in which the systemis subjected to subatmospheric pressures at the required time only whenthe lay is near its front center position.

On a later beat of the loom the thread will be cut by temple cutter TCat the selvage of the cloth, resulting in complete removal of thethread. The upward and forward motion of the thread remover as suggestedin Fig. 3 will draw the left hand part of the thread T to some suchposition as indicated in dotted lines 0, Fig. 11, to place the thread ina favorable position for cutting by the temple cutter. Since the threadat this time extends from the intake mouth downwardly into tube 68gravity will tend to hold the thread in the tube.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the invention sets forth asimple form of pneumatic thread remover for the thread of the outgoingbobbin which, when moving from its thread pick-up position back tonormal position, moves the thread forwardly and upwardly in such mannerthat the plate 15 mechanically exerts a positive force lifting thethread to a position where it will fall by gravity along the notch 83 tothe thread intake mouth 14. Also, the thread remover moves to itspick-up position as soon as the magazine is set for a replenishingoperation with the notch 83 opening rearwardly toward the thread. Assoon as the advancing lay moves the thread within the zone of action ofthe partial vacuum at mouth M the cutter 38 operates and a loop or bendof thread is drawn into mouth 14 while the remover is still down.Thereafter the magazine is reset and the remover swings upwardly and thethread extends downwardly from mouth 14 into tube 68. Furthermore, theplate 12, and more particularly its inclined edge 13, overlaps the undersurface 19 of the shuttle feeler as suggested in Fig. 10 so that as thethread is moved forwardly by the lay the shuttle feeler directs it intonotch 83 toward the intake mouth. The tube 66 is flattened throughoutthe greater part of its length and. has a cross section more or less thesame as that of the intake mouth, so that there is litle turbulencewithin the tube and the thread can be acted upon to greater advantage bythe stream of air moving through the tube. The flattened shape of tube68 favors entry of a relatively stiff thread into it without howeverrequiring the tube to have a large internal air volume, thereby enablinga minimum of moving air to act properly on the thread.

Having thus described the invention it will be seen that changes andmodifications of the foregoing specific disclosure may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a weft replenishing loom having a thread to be removed extendingfrom the cloth along a backwardly and forwardly reciprocating lay, apneumatic thread remover having a thread intake mouth in front of thethread, and a shuttle position detector over the lay and threadextending forwardly toward the remover and having a downwardly andforwardly inclined surface effective during forward motion of the lay todirect the thread toward said intake mouth.

2. In a weft replenishing loom having a thread to be removed extendingfrom the cloth along the lay, a shuttle position detector extending in agenerally horizontal direction over the thread, a pneumatic threadremover having an intake mouth in front of the thread, and downwardlyand forwardly extending thread guiding surfaces on the shuttle positiondetector and remover above the level of the intake mouth directing thethread downwardly toward said intake mouth during forward motion of thelay.

3. In .aweftreplenishing loom having athread toberemoved'extending fromthe cloth along a backwardly and forwardly reciprocating lay, a shuttleposition detector supported at a point rearward of the :lay when thelatter is in the forward position thereof and extending forwardly andhaving .a thread guiding surface over the thread, .and a pneumaticthread remover having a thread intake mouth infront of the thread and aguide surface extending downwardly and forwardly above the level of andtoward the mouth, the thread if .abovesaid mouth being directed duringforward motion-of the lay by said surface on the detector and saidsurface on the removertoward-said intake mouth. 4

4. In a weft replenishing loom having athread to be removed extendingfrom the cloth .along a backwardly and for-wardly reciprocating lay, ashuttle position detector extending in a generallyhorizontal-directionabove the lay and thread and normally in raisedposition and having a forwardly and downwardly extending thread guidesurface, said detector moving downwardly to detecting position on weftreplenishing beats of the loom, and 'a pneumatic thread remover having athread intake :mouth in front of the thread on =weft replenishing beatsof the loom and provided with a guide surface which extends downwardlyand forwardly to said mouth, said guide surfaces on the detector andremover cooperating when the detector is in detecting position duringforward motion .of the lay to direct the thread toward said intakemouth.

5. In a weft replenishing loom having a, thread to be removed extendingfrom the cloth along a backwardly and forwardl reciprocating lay, apneumatic thread remover having a thread in take mouth in front of thethread and formed with a thread notch opening rearwardly from saidmouth, and shuttl position detector extending over the thread and havinga thread guide surface effective to direct the thread into said notchdurin forward movement of the lay.

6. Ina weft replenishing loom having a thread to beremoved extendingalong a backwardly and forwardly reciprocating lay, a pneumatic threadremover having a thread intakemouth in front of the threadand'having athread engagingmember extending rearwardly .from said mouth below thethread and having also a thread guide surface extending upwardly andrearwardly from said mouth, said member and guide surface defining arearwardly opening notch extending rearwardly from said mouth, and ashuttle position detector having a thread guiding surface over thethread effective during forward movement of the lay to direct saidthread to a position between said member and said thread guide surfaceof the remover into said notch and toward said mouth.

7. In a weft replenishing-loom having a, thread to be removed extendingalong a backwardly and forwardly reciprocating lay provided with a raceplate over which the thread extends, a pneumatic thread remover having athread intake mouth in 'front'of the thread and having a part belowsaidshuttle race and another part above said race, said parts extendingrearwardly from the intake mouth, and a shuttle position detectorextending transversely of the lay over the race plate and having athread guiding surface effective'during forward movement of the lay todirect the thread to a position between said parts 01' the remover andtoward said mouth.

-8. :In a weft replenishing loom having a thread 10 to be removedextending along the .lay, a pneumatic thread remover having an intakemouth and having parts thereof extending away from said mouth to definea thread notch, a pivotal support for said remover forward of the lay,and operating means for the remover effective to position said removerwith the notch opening rearwardly to receive the thread as the lay movesforwardly and thereafter moving the remover around said pivotal supportto a position in which said notch opens upwardly and-the thread tendsdue to gravity to fall toward said intake mouth.

9. In .a weft replenishing loom having a thread to be removedextendingalong a lay, a pivotal support forward of the lay, a part of the loommoving first in one di ection and then in the opposite directionincident to a weft replenishing operation of the loom, and a pneumaticthread remover movable angulrrly on .said pivotal support andoperatively connected to said part, said remover having a thread intakemouth and thread guiding means defining a thread notch leading to saidmouth, said part of the loom when moving first in said one directionmoving said remover to a position enabling the thread due to forwardmovement of the lay to enter said notch and said part of theloom whenmoving in the opposite direction moving said remover to a position inwhich the guide means thereof extends upwardly from said mouth and thethread due to gravity tends to fall toward-said mouth.

10. In a weft replenishing loom having a thread to beremovedextending-along abackwardly and forwardly reciprocating lay, apneumatic thread remover having an intake mouth and means de fining athread receiving notch leading to said mouth, means mounting saidremover for pivotal motion backwardly and forwardly with respect-to thelay, and means operative incident to a weft replenishing operation ofthe loom to move said removeron said mounting means toward the lay withsaid notch opening rearwardly to receive the thread as the lay movesforwardly and thereafter turn the remover or said mounting means awayfrom the lay to a position in which said notch opens upwardly and thethread tends by gravity to fall toward said mouth.

11. In a weft replenishing loom having a thread to be removed extendingalong a backwardly and forwardly reciprocating lay, a pneumatic threadremover having means defining a thread notch leading toward a threadintake mouth, means mounting the remover for movement to one position inwhich the notch opens rearwardly and to another position in whichthenotch-opens upwardly, and means operated by the loom positioning saidremover in said one position with the notch opening rearwardly toreceive the thread during forward motion of the lay and thereaftermoving the remover to said other position in which said notch .opensupwardly from said mouth so that a thread in the notch tends to fall bygravity toward said intakemouth.

12. In a weft replenishing loom having a thread I to be removedextending along a backwardly and forwardly reciprocating lay, apneumatic thread remover having a thread intake mouth and means defininga thread guiding notch leading to said mouth,.means mounting the removerfor motion either to thread pick-up position in which the notch opensrearwardly or to non-pick-up position in which the notch-opens upwardly,and means .operatively connected to the remover-effective incident to aweft replenishing operation of the loom to move the remover to the 11pick-up position thereof to receive the thread during forward motion ofthe lay and thereafter move said remover to the non-pick-up positionthereof during continued forward motion of the lay to enable the threadby gravity to fall toward said mouth.

13. In a weft replenishing loom having a thread to be removed extendingalong a backwardly and forwardly reciprocating lay, a pneumatic threadremover having an intake mouth and having a part extending rearwardlyfrom the mouth under the thread as the lay moves forwardly, a pivotalsupport for the remover, and means operating incident to a weftreplenishing operation of the loom moving said remover around saidpivotal support in a direction to move said part thereof upwardly andforwardly to lift the thread to a position in which the latter tends bygravity to fall toward the intake mouth.

14. In a weft replenishing loom having a thread to be removed extendingalong a backwardly and forwardly reciprocating lay, a pneumatic threadremover having an intake mouth and a plate extending rearwardly from andbelow said mouth under the thread as the lay moves forwardly, a pivotalsupport for said remover forward of the lay, and means operatingincident to a weft replenishing operation of the loom moving saidremover angularly around said support in a direction to move said plateupwardly and forwardly to a position beyond and behind said mouth and inwhich the thread will tend by grav ity to fall along said plate towardsaid mouth.

15. In a weft replenishing loom having a. thread to be removed extendingalong a lay, a pneumatic thread remover including a tube in whichsubatmospheric pressures exist for the purpose of removing a thread,said tube having a thread receiving mouth of elongated form the greaterdi mension of which extends lengthwise of the thread and the tubethroughout a substantial part of the length thereof leading from saidmouth transversely of the thread and having a cross sectionsubstantially the same as that of the mouth.

16. In a weft replenishing loom having a thread to be removed extendingalong a lay, a pneumatic thread remover including a tube flattened onthe top and bottom sides thereof extending transversely of the threadand having a thread intake mouth of greater length measured in thedirection of the thread than height measured transversely of the thread,said tube having sub stantially the same internal cross sectional shapeas the mouth throughout a substantial part of the length thereofextending from the mouth.

17. In a weft replenishing loom having a thread to be removed extendingalong a lay, a pneumatic thread remover including a carrier and a tubeon the carrier having a thread intake mouth at the end thereof remotefrom said carrier, said mouth being elongated in the direction in whichthe thread extends along the lay, the tube extending transversely of thethread away from said mouth and having substantially the same elongatedcross sectional shape as the mouth throughout the greater part of thelength thereof from the mouth to said carrier, and means pneumaticallyconnected to the part of the tube remote from said mouth creatingsubatmospheric pressures within the tube.

18. In a weft replenishing loom having a thread to be removed extendingfrom the cloth along a reciprocating lay to the eye of a shuttle on thelay, a pivotal support in front of the lay, a

pneumatic thread remover pivoted on said supi nector including a springtransmitting force from position as the lay approaches front center,op-' erative connections between the shaft and the remover causing thelatter to move to the pickup position thereof when said shaft moves tothe setting position thereof, the advancing lay moving the thread towardthe remover in pick- I up position, and means cutting the threadadjacent to the eye of the shuttle after the remover has moved to thepick-up position thereof, said operative connections causing the removerto return to the non-pick-up position thereof as said shaft returns fromthe setting position to the normal position thereof.

19. In a weft replenishing loom having a thread to be removed extendingfrom the cloth along the lay, weft replenishing mechanism including apreventer shaft rocking from the normal position thereof to a settingposition to set the mechanism for a bobbin transfer and thereafterreturning to normalposition, pivotal support means in front of the lay,a pneumatic thread remover having a thread intake mouth and mounted onthe support and rotatable thereon to be in either thread pick-up or innon-pick-up position, and operating connections between the shaft andthe remover including a yieldable resilient member, said shaft whenmoving to the setting position thereof acting through said operativeconnections to move the thread remover about said pivotal mounting tothread pick-up position with said mouth in front of the thread, saidshaft when returning to the normal position thereof acting through saidresilient member to exert a force 'on said remover tending to move thelatter to non-pick-up position, said resilient member yielding in theevent that the shuttle is misplaced and engages the remover to preventmovement thereof from the pick-up to the non-pick-up position thereofwhen the lay is near the front center position, the lay subsequentlymoving away from front center position out of engagement with theremover, whereupon said resilient member .moves the thread remover tonon-pick-up position.

20. In a weft replenishing loom having a thread to be removed extendingfrom the cloth along the lay, a pneumatic thread remover pivotallymounted in front of the lay and normally in nonpick-up position butmovable to thread pick-up position, weft replenishing mechanismincluding a preventer shaft movable from the normal position thereof tothe setting position thereof preparatory to a weft replenishingoperation of the loom when the lay is in the rearward part of the strokethereof and returning to the normal position thereof as the layapproaches the front center position thereof, and a connectoroperatively connecting said shaft and remover capable of exerting apositive force moving the remover from the non-pick-up position to thepick-up position thereof in front of the thread when the shaft moves tothe setting position thereof, said conthe shaft to said remover when theshaft returns to the normal position thereof tending to move the removerback to the non-pick-up position thereof, said spring yielding in theevent that a misplaced shuttle due to engagement with the removerprevents movement of the latter to the non-pick-up position thereof whenthe lay is on front center but eifecting return of the remover to thenon-pick-up position thereof when the lay due to rearward movementthereof moves the shuttle out of engagement with the remover.

21. In a weft replenishing loom having a thread to be removed extendingfrom the cloth along the lay to a shuttle, a pneumatic thread removernormally in non-pick-up position but moving to thread pick-up positionincident to a weft replenishing operation, the remover having a threadintake mouth and a thread lifting member extending upwardly from themouth when the remover is in non-pick-up position and rearwardly fromthe mouth under the thread when the remover is in pick-up position, andmeans moving the remover from the pick-up to the non-pick-up positionthereof when a weft replenishing op eration is prevented, the memberlifting the thread as the remover returns to non-pick-up position, saidmember being formed with a thread clearing edge extending in a directionlengthwise of the lay upwardly and toward the cloth over which thethread slides when the shuttle is picked.

22. In a weft replenishing loom having a thread to be removed extendingfrom the cloth along the lay, a pneumatic thread remover pivotallymounted forwardly of the lay including a tube and a thread intake mouthat the end of the tube, said remover being capable of assuming a threadpick-up position in which the tube is substantially horizontal and theintake mouth is forward of the thread to receive the latter as the laymoves forwardly or capable of assuming a nonpick-up position in whichthe tube extends upwardly with the intake mouth at the upper end thereofso that a thread in the mouth extending into the tube is held in thelatter by gravity, and means operated by the loom incident to a weftreplenishing operation moving the remover first to the thread pick-upposition thereof and thereafter moving the remover to the non-pick-upposition.

BENJAMIN W. BROUWER.

JOHN T. KENNEDY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,199,296 Turner Apr. 30, 19402,204,455 Turner June 11, 1940 2,219,793 Turner Oct. 29, 1940 2,520,580Turner Aug. 29, 1950

